2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALER, WHERE AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BREAK IN ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES, AND ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE SO DETERIORATED AND RUST ENCRUSTED, THAT ALL OF THE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED.

2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALER, WHERE AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BREAK IN ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES, AND ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE SO DETERIORATED AND RUST ENCRUSTED, THAT ALL OF THE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO CORROSION, THE BRAKE LINES WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, AS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZE DEALER WHERE ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WAS RECENTLY REPLACED BY THE INDEPENDENT MACHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,392.

Mileage: 62,392

THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A 2-WAY STOP. UPON TURNING RIGHT, MY FOOT WENT FROM THE BRAKE TO THE GAS PEDAL AND GOT HOOKED ON A PIECE OF METAL EXTENDING FROM THE ARM OF THE ACCELERATOR. THIS CAUSED MY FOOT TO BE TRAPPED BELOW THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT ATTACHED TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE VEHICLE SPUN BACK AND FORTH WHILE TRYING TO GET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. I HIT A TRUCK COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM WHICH I WAS TURNING PINNING IT TO THE GUARD RAIL. ALTHOUGH BOTH TRUCKS HAD STOPPED, THE TIRES ON MY TRUCK WERE STILL SPINNING BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS STILL HOOKED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND WEDGE BELOW THE BRAKE PEDAL. ONLY AFTER I TURNED THE KEY OFF COULD I PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK. IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF MY TRUCK I HAD TO UNLACE MY SHOE AND PULL MY FOOT OUT, THEN PRY IT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ACCELERATOR, LEAVING A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF MY SHOE. *TR

Mileage: 114,916

MY 2003 AVALANCHE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN THE RECALL FOR 2002 REGARDING THE ANTILOCK COMING ON AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. GM REFUSES TO INCLUDE OUR VEHICLE FOR REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY STATED THAT NO CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE ANTILOCK SPEED SENSOR AND/OR HUB ASSEMBLY FROM THE 2002 TO 2003. IF WE HAVE THE SAME PRODUCT IN OUR 2003 AVALANCHE, THEN WHY DOES IT NOT DESERVE TO BE INCLUDED WITH RECALL AND REQUIRE GM TO PAY FOR REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. GM IS IGNORING THE CONTINUED PROBLEM WITH LATER YEAR VEHICLES AND IS NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. AVALANCHE OWNERS NEED TO GET TOGETHER TO COMPLAIN TO FORCE THEM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

REAR PASSENGER-SIDE BRAKE LINE FAILED, ABOVE THE REAR AXLE ON EXIT RAMP OF MAJOR HIGHWAY. COMPLETELY CORRODED LINE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. ELECTRONIC RUST PREVENTION SYSTEM (SACRIFICIAL ZINC AT ALL 4 CORNERS) INSTALLED BY DEALERSHIP WHEN TRUCK WAS PURCHASED, YET ALL BRAKE LINES NEED REPLACEMENT. DEALERSHIP (HEINRICH CHEVROLET OF LOCKPORT, NY) QUOTED APPROXIMATELY $1000 JUST IN LABOR TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I'LL REPLACE THEM MYSELF. *KB

Mileage: 80,000

ROTTING BRAKE LINES IN THE VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE, NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM LINES. CORROSION SO BAD REQUIRES ALL LINES TO BE REPLACED. DEALER ALSO DAMAGED BRAKE CONTROLLER DURING REPAIR AND CHARGED ME THE REPLACEMENT COST. *TR

Mileage: 149,200

PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT AND WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY BRAKING ACTION. THE PEDAL CAME BACK UP TO NORMAL POSITION AND I PRESSED IT AGAIN HARDER THE SECOND TIME WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AGAIN BUT LOCKED UP THE WHEELS AND THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY CAME TO A STOP.

Mileage: 90,887

BRAKE LINE EXPLOSIVE FAILURE BEFORE THE FIREWALL. 95% LOSS OF STOPPING POWER. INSPECTION OF LINES INDICATES CORROSION. ALSO HEAVY CORROSION ON FRAME MEMBERS NOTED. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR CORROSION OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. AT 25000 MI. REPLACED ALL ROTORS AND PADS WITH NON CHEVY PARTS. NO MORE ROTOR ISSUES. NOW ALL BRAKE LINES CHANGED DUE TO CORROSION AND BURST LINE HAS CAUSED A MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. THERE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES HERE AND IT'S TIME FOR NHTSA TO STEP IN. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING, THE REAR BRAKE WOULD SEIZE AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLCED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND THE REAR BRAKE CONTINUED TO SEIZE AND SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURED WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

Mileage: 120,000

"SERVICE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY...DISABLING AIR BAGS! *TR

Mileage: 94,000

THE METAL BRAKE LINES ON MY 03 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500 Z1 TRUCK ARE CATASTROPHICALLY FAILING. THERE IS NO WARNING PRIOR AS THERE WOULD BE WITH OTHER BRAKE RELATED PROBLEMS. THIS FAILURE LEADS TO AN INABILITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE RESULT OF WHICH COULD BE DEADLY. THE DEGRADATION OF THE STEEL LINES IS SO BAD THAT REPLACEMENT OF ALL LINE ARE REQUIRED. *TR

Mileage: 109,065

I CHANGED THE FRONT BRAKES AND WAS ADJUSTING THEM WHEN THE REAR BRAKE LINE STARTED GUSHING OUT BRAKE FLUID. IHAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND BEFORE I FINISHED HE SAID LET ME GUESS "YOU BLED THE FRONT BRAKES AND BLEW OUT THE BACK LINE NEXT TO THE GAS TANK BE HIND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL." THIS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HE SAID ALOT OF CHEVY TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. HE IS GOING TTO CHANGE THE REAR LINE. HE SAID WHERE THE LINE IS MOUNTED ALLOWS GRIT SALT AND THINGS BUILD UP IN THIS SPOTCAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO RUST INTO. THIS COULD HAVE GOTTEN US KILLED HAD I NEEDED TO HIT MY BRAKES HARD. *TR

Mileage: 142,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC 1500 AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND UPON ENGAGEMENT. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO SIX DIFFERENT VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. THE BRAKE LINE TUBING WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

RUSTED BRAKE LINE TO REAR BRAKES FAILED. REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY PREVENTED VEHICLE FROM STOPPING ALLOWING VEHICLE TO PASS INTO AN INTERSECTION. ALL RUSTED BRAKE LINES REAR AND FRONT HAD TO BE REPLACED. OLD PARTS MAY STILL BE AVAILABLE. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

RUSTED OUT 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE BRAKE LINE LEADING TO BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 86,029

2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAD CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. UPON INSPECTION FOUND SEVERELY CORRODED BRAKE LINES DRIVER SIDE ABOVE CHASSIS RAIL. *TR

Mileage: 81,000

APROACHING A STOP SIGN BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICALE AT ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES I FELT A POP AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. USING THE PARKINNG BRAKE AND DOWN SHIFTING BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP BEFORE I HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. IT IS AN AUTOMETIC. AT THE END I HAD IT IN 1ST GEAR AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION FOR THE STOP. IT IS A 2003 AVALANCH VIN# [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 145,672

WEAK BRAKES, LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, NO WEAR ON FRONT PADS, FRONT PADS STUCK, TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG, I BELIEVE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS. THE BACK BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES (WORE TO WEAR INDICATOR) AND THE FRONTS PADS AND ROTORS LOOK NEW (GLAZED OVER NO FRICTION) THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE BUYING TRUCK BRAND NEW IN 2003. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED WHEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES BECAME EXTREMELY SPONGY WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

SAME PROBLEM AS FOUND IN NHTSA ID # 05V37900 IN 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE IS OCCURRING IN MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. THE ABS IS ACTIVATED WHEN REACHING A SPEED OF 5 MPH OR LESS. THIS IS CAUSING MY AVALANCHE TO NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY AT STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS. MY AVALANCHE WILL TRAVEL APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 FEET CLOSER TO THE CAR OR INTERSECTION I AM STOPPING AT. IF I ROLL THROUGH THE STOP SIGN OR NOT GO BELOW 5 MPH WHILE TURNING, THE ABS DO NOT COME ON. *TR

Mileage: 49,000

SAME PROBLEM AS FOUND IN NHTSA ID # 05V37900 IN 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE IS OCCURRING IN MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. THE ABS IS ACTIVATED WHEN REACHING A SPEED OF 5 MPH OR LESS. THIS IS CAUSING MY AVALANCHE TO NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY AT STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS. MY AVALANCHE WILL TRAVEL APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 FEET CLOSER TO THE CAR OR INTERSECTION I AM STOPPING AT. IF I ROLL THROUGH THE STOP SIGN OR NOT GO BELOW 5 MPH WHILE TURNING, THE ABS DO NOT COME ON. *TR

Mileage: 49,000

SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON IN INFORMATION CENTER, BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS ARE ON. THE GARAGE SAYS THE BRAKE COMPUTER FOR THE ABS IS NOT FUNCTIONS DISABLING THE ABS ON THE VEHICLE. THE COMPUTER PART FOR THE VEHICLE IS UNAVAILABLE. THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM REMAINS DISABLED. IT IS A 2003 MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. BRAKE PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ABS SYSTEM. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH OR GREATER HE WOULD HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD TO STOP, WHICH INCREASED THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A FLAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. THE DEALER TOOK THE WINDSHIELD WIPER APART AND GLUED AROUND THE SIDES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,500 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

Mileage: 4,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AND HEARD A LOUD POP COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. HE NOTICED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE CALIPER HANGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE CALIPER BOLTS FAILED AND MADE THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,346 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,350.

Mileage: 69,346

ABS PUMP MOTOR WILL NOT SHUT OFF DUE TO A FAILED ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. ABS FUSE MUST BE REMOVED TO KEEP MOTOR FROM BURNING UP. ABS SYSTEM IS DISABLED. I AM TRYING TO FIND AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NEW FACTORY PART IS TO EXPENSIVE. MUST USE VEHICLE WITH FAULTY ABS SYSTEM UNTIL REPAIRED.*AK

Mileage: 24,013